Collège Boréal strengthens its commitment to building a skilled Francophone workforce in early childhood education

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Two projects totalling more than one million dollars will boost recruitment efforts for early childhood educators while helping current staff enhance their skills

SUDBURY, Ontario, June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Collège Boréal is proud to announce two new initiatives designed to support the Francophone early childhood education sector. With funding from the City of Toronto and the Commission nationale des parents francophones (CNPF), more than $1 million is being invested to strengthen recruitment efforts in Francophone child care services across Ontario and to enhance the skills of early childhood professionals currently working in Toronto.

Four early childhood education workshops in Toronto

Developed in partnership with the City of Toronto, Centennial College, George Brown College, Mothercraft, and Seneca Polytechnic, this project aims to strengthen the expertise of early childhood educators in areas such as mentorship, student supervision, and leadership development through targeted training sessions and interactive workshops.

Participants will deepen their understanding of student support and peer mentorship through sessions delivered in person or online. Communities of practice will also be created to encourage knowledge sharing and the application of new learning in the workplace. All staff working in educational settings or with child care agencies that have agreements with the City of Toronto will be eligible to take part in these workshops, which will be offered in French by Collège Boréal.

The French-language component of this project is supported by a $220,000 grant. It is funded in partnership with the City of Toronto, the Province of Ontario, and the Government of Canada under the Canada-Ontario Early Childhood Workforce Agreement, which provides federal funding to support the recruitment and retention of qualified child care and early childhood educators.

Ontario Diploma in Early Childhood Education: International Recruitment and Recognition of Francophone Credentials

Following international recruitment efforts led by the Association francophone à l'éducation des services à l'enfance de l'Ontario (AFÉSEO), Collège Boréal, in collaboration with Collège La Cité, will evaluate nine international diplomas to facilitate the recognition of prior learning. Bridging pathways will be developed, as needed, to help candidates meet Ontario's requirements for early childhood education.

As part of Création et appui au réseau d'intervenants en petite enfance en situation minoritaire-a project to create and support a network of early childhood professionals in minority settings launched by the CNPF-this initiative also provides language support and funding to cover tuition fees, among other costs, with the goal of supporting successful integration. The objective is to help these new recruits quickly obtain official certification from the College of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario.

In addition to strengthening the supply of qualified professionals, this initiative-funded with $800,000 from the CNPF-aims to improve the quality of educational services for Francophone children and families across Ontario. Positive outcomes observed by employers during a 2024 pilot project led by AFÉSEO demonstrate the initiative's success and the smooth integration of new talent into Ontario's communities.

Quote

"The implementation of these two innovative projects focused on recruitment and skills development in early childhood education once again reflects Boréal's responsiveness and commitment to the communities it serves. These initiatives are making a tangible contribution to increasing the number of qualified Francophone early childhood educators and ensuring the continuous improvement of services available to Francophone children in Ontario, starting at a very young age.”

Josée Latulippe − Manager, Professional Services in Early Childhood Education, Collège Boréal

Online resources

• Professional Services in Early Childhood Education
• Toronto Children's Services
• Commission nationale des parents francophones
• Association francophone à l'éducation des services à l'enfance de l'Ontario
• Research & Innovation Boréal

Information

Benoît Clément

Manager, Communications and Media Relations

705-560-6673, ext. 2722

[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: 

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4d73b20f-5097-4b44-bda8-92f66c13af32